Quinn

The Adventures of Huckleberry Quinn

“ShaSha” (now Quinn) was originally rescued and fostered by the Empathy for Life Rescue in South Korea. Something deep inside my heart told me that this scraggly stray puppy with a broken leg was the one.

At the time I write this, we will have had Quinn for eight months. During this short time, this bright, active, snuggly, and loving girl has blossomed and given us so much joy. Quinn has enjoyed travelling around Northern California and our adventure continues in Las Vegas, NV for a few years.

There is not a day goes by when we don’t think about how lucky we are to be Quinn’s humans. The unconditional love and attention she brings us only grows with time. She even loves and respects our kitty. I cannot thank Yvette enough for not only the love, care, and training that she and her family provided Quinn, but also for flying her down to California for us.

Please support Y-Not-Save-a-Sam and Empathy for Life, whether it’s through adoption, foster, transport, donation, and/or Amazon Smile. All of those involved in this rescue network have the biggest hearts and unwavering passion for those who cannot speak for themselves.

QUEST

After the loss of our beloved American Eskimo earlier in the year, our family felt that we wanted to open our hearts to another companion. Samoyeds had been a regular topic of conversation in our household for years and Facebook led us to Y-Not Save a Sam and Yvette!

Not long after we began following her page, a post popped up showing a beautiful boy from China who was going to be fostered not far from us in Seattle. We quickly contacted Yvette and began the conversation to find out if he would be a good fit for us.

Soon thereafter, we found ourselves setting up a meet and greet. His wiggly energy wormed its way into all of our hearts, especially our German Shepherd, Helo. Quest (FKA Aiden) officially joined our family on April 16th, 2017 (Easter!). We couldn't have imagined a better way to celebrate the holiday.

Quest continues to bring light and energy to our house every day. The people get to enjoy a big fluffy cuddlebug (who is pretty sure our bed is his bed) while Helo has a best buddy to play with whenever the mood strikes. He is truly the perfect fit. Thanks to Yvette and everyone involved in saving these wonderful dogs.

SABI

I am so grateful to Yvette and Y-Not Save a Sam Rescue. Yvette and the rescue group that she works with in South Korea (EFL) are reputable, care for animals, and work hard to get them into wonderful forever homes. Yvette’s constant communication with updates and information were so helpful in guiding me through the process of bringing over a dog from South Korea.

Y-Not Save a Sam tagged and saved a Korean Sapsaree from the pound in South Korea. A few days later, she gave birth to 10 puppies! Yvette has gone above and beyond to care for both Mama and pups, providing them the best care, and getting them all to the US to be adopted into forever homes.

We adopted one of the 10 puppies, Sabi, a Sapsaree mix. He is such a joy and we are so glad to have him in our home. He has the best temperament – so sweet, and joyful. He is smart as can be too! He learned to use our dog door right away, and doesn’t have a naughty streak at all. He adjusted to life in the US in a matter of days! We’re so impressed with how adaptable he is!

We had to wait several months to bring him to the US because puppies must get their rabies shot at 12 weeks, and then wait another 30 days before they are able to fly to the US. Yvette and the rescue group in South Korea made sure all the puppies were up to date on their shots, and found them foster homes so that they would be well socialized from an early start. They worked tirelessly to find a “courier” (a volunteer who is flying direct from Seoul to destination city through either Korean Air or Asiana Air, who allow pets to fly very affordably as excess baggage) to bring Sabi to Texas from South Korea.

Y-Not Save a Sam and Yvette have exceeded my expectations in helping us adopt this pup. What seemed at first to be a crazy task (bring a dog in from overseas) ended up being as easy as Yvette explained.

You will be in good hands if you adopt through Save a Sam rescue, and if you are looking for a worthy cause, please consider donating. Save a Sam is a 501c3 organization, and Yvette is able to help many wonderful dogs to find homes all across the US.

CANDY

“Candy" came to the US in September of 2017 as a dirty, stained four-month-old puppy who was skinny enough to have a few bones prodding. She was lucky enough to have adoptive grandparents willing to drive across a few states to get her to her new home in Nebraska. Now she answers to Keara, like Shera with a K says her 14 year old human brother. After more than a few baths, we can finally confirm that she really is mostly Sammie with her fluffy white coat growing in. She goes most days to work with her attorney mom where she alternately provides "security" and insulation at the front door. Mom is hearing impaired and loves the extra set of ears at work. Keara wasn't having anything to do with kennel training - possibly a nod to her early months in a tiny cage - so she appreciates trailing along. Look for her personal Facebook and Instagram "Law Dog" coming to a screen near you.

KODI

In early December of 2017, we lost our 13 year old Sammy girl, Sarah, quite sudden and unexpectedly. We were devastated and it felt as though we would never recover from the loss of our sweet girl. Then in mid December, my husband saw Kodi (Tundra at the time) the Y-Not Save a Sam Facebook page. I was not at all ready to bring another furry kid into our lives, but Darryl needed a buddy very badly, so I reluctantly agreed that we could adopt him. We picked Kodi up on the 24th of December. He was such a sweet, loving boy and he had so much energy! The next few weeks in all honesty were difficult. The poor little guy had been through so many changes. We had lots of accidents despite the fact that we were taking him out every hour. We was a wild and crazy boy and we couldn't seem to get him to focus when we tried training him. He was a bundle of energy despite two 6 mile walks each day (rain or shine) and we were just exhausted every night. I was still missing Sarah so very much and it was hard for me to give much of my heart to Kodi. Darryl on the other hand was completely smitten at first sight and he loved Kodi unabashedly. They were walking buddies, cuddle buddies, just hanging out together buddies and I could see how good he was for my hubby. One day, after yet another accident, I found myself feeling so frustrated and resentful. Then, I looked at the little face that was staring at me as I wiped up the "accident" from the tile floor. There was a sadness about that little face, and it just broke my heart. I sat down on the floor next to him, put my arms around him and I had a long conversation with him. I apologized to him if I seemed frustrated about his house soiling. I told him he has been such a good boy and is so smart that I just didn’t know why he was peeing in the house. I told him that I knew however the fault was mine and not his. I said to him that I wanted to make sure he knew that he was home, that we were his fur parents and we loved him. I told him that we were not going to give him up or leave him somewhere and never return to pick him up. I told him that I knew the last month had been confusing. I told him that I understood how confused he must be having been moved around to so many new and strange places. I told him that I knew this made him feel insecure and that he probably didn’t want to trust anyone. But I said to him that no matter what, we were his fur parents and we would take care of him until he crossed the Rainbow Bridge. I explained to him that I had been very sad lately, because my last fur baby and left me and crossed the Rainbow Bridge and that my sadness had nothing to do with him. I told him I was sorry if I had made him feel unwanted or made him feel that I didn’t truly care about him. I told him that he was helping me to be happy again and I appreciated that and that I would try from that minute forward to be a better fur mom and help him feel that this was truly his home. I told him my broken heart had nothing to do with him and I was sorry that I was making him feel unwelcome. I know it sounds completely crazy, but from that moment forward, there was never another accident. His sad face disappeared, he finally relaxed and I began to heal. Kodi has been an amazing boy. Now that he understands that this is his forever home, he has been easy to train because he wants nothing more than to please. He is incredibly affectionate and lives to be petted and cuddled. As a young boy, his energy is boundless, but that has helped Darryl and I stay active and healthy. Today, Kodi is so much a part of our lives and there is now an easy rhythm to our days with him. We understand him and he understands us. Together, we are like a tapestry that has been woven together and filled with rich texture. He is smart and mischievous and playful and loving and manipulative and happy and active and loyal - all the things Samoyeds should be. I can't imagine our lives without him now. He has filled our home with laughter and with love. Yvette once told me that Kodi ended up with us because it was where he was meant to be. I know that to be true. He needed a home with fur parents who would never abandon him and we needed a fur kid to heal our broken hearts. We are so grateful to Yvette for rescuing this amazing little man and to Danielle for helping to get him to us from Los Angeles. He has given us, in the short year he has been with us, more than we could ever give him.

Jordan

Hi my name is Jordan! I had a rough start to my life living on the streets in South Korea and in the pound. Being as social and playful as I am, not having much human interaction was hard for me. Luckily one day my dad saw me on a Facebook page and thought I looked just like my now big brother and he instantly felt a connection. I then went on an incredible journey on an airplane to fly to my new home, I was so excited to meet so many new people! Once I got to my house I got to meet all of my new siblings, I love them all and get along with everyone, but I especially love my big brother, my dad was right we are so alike and are practically joined at the hip. I now enjoy a wonderful life with my family we go hiking, play tag and catch, go on vacations, and relax and snuggle. I have so many toys and am learning how to play with them, my current favorite is a ball, I carry it with me all the time!

I’m so glad I have a happy ending to my incredible journey!

THOMAS

We lost Dude our Samoyed in September of 2017, which created a very large hole in our hearts. We began looking for another Sammy rescue in early November and discovered Y-Not and Yvette. Best discovery ever!

In December Yvette called saying a young (3 year old) Sammy was available and could arrive at LAX on Christmas day (what a wonderful Christmas present). The pictures and information Yvette sent about Thomas-the–Sammy continued to make the holidays special. Unfortunately there was a delay, but Thomas finally arrived shortly after New Year’s Day.

Gretchen was very kind to pick up Thomas at LAX and drove him to her home. We arrived about the same time as Gretchen and she told us that Thomas sat shotgun all the way from the airport. When Thomas popped out of her car he looked and smelled like a runner who just completed a 10K mud-run, but he still had that incredible Sammy smile and enthusiasm. This was our introduction to Thomas. The ride home that night was so peaceful as he snoozed most of the way home to Nevada. There was no need to place him in the crate.

As mentioned above, he arrived as a brown matted Sammy. That next morning we peeled away his questionable first layer of fur and groomed him to a beautiful soft white coat. Though he became testy after about 90 minutes, he loved the attention. This was our first bonding experience. By the way, we spent a couple more days improving his look.

Thomas is especially attached to Greg, follows him everywhere and even lays across his lap. Sammy’s are a little large for a lap dog, but we haven’t told him. He is also a serious rabbit entrepreneur and craves the chase. He can spot a rabbit at almost any distance, though he is limited to the yard. His sister Lucy (9 y/o Lab) has a special place in her heart for rabbits and other creatures that uses our yard as a pass-through. The neighbors are not as happy about our yard being a rabbit free zone as their yards have become a haven for fast moving bunnies.

Thomas is a wonderful addition to our family and home. Yvette matched him perfectly for us. He loves his food, toys, playing, his sister and sitting in the backyard surveying the open spaces. The order of preference changes depending on how close to dinnertime it is. He is loving, funny, inquisitive and especially a cuddlier. We cannot begin to express the joy he has added to our lives. Special thank you to Yvette, Gretchen, Danielle and Y-Not for guiding us through this wonderful process and adding Thomas to our life.

RUFF

I traveled to Salt Lake City to originally meet Dayzee when Yvette told me about Ruff; a Samoyed who came from a hoarder who was poorly socialized and needed a warm, firm hand and a steady home. I initially intended to work with Ruff for a few days during a visit to Salt Lake City, but fell in love with him. I flew him home with me to Washington State and adopted him. At first, he was skittish and didn't know how to interact with other dogs. Play behaviors frightened him, sudden movements made him flee, and he never could settle down comfortably. He is now a loved member of our family; he has warmed up, is no longer skittish, and brings so much joy into our lives. He now loves the dog park and can play with every dog; he has learned how to play bow. Ever so gentle with our toddler girl, she has a furry fluffmaster to pet and hang out with everyday. Thanks to Y Not Save A Sam for rescuing this wonderful diamond in the rough - he just needed some love to really shine!

BELLA

Bridgette (Now Bella) is the stunning girl with beautiful eyes from South Korea. We saw her face on Yvette’s site and just knew she was the one for us. She was saved from the pound in South Korea with a broken jaw, broken leg and weighed only 27 lbs. She was afraid to eat around other dogs and humans. Yvette waited till Bella could gain some weight before she got spayed. Yvette gave such great care to Bella. She has a group of great fosters who helped as well. Thank you Eleanor for fostering her. You are amazing too. This rescue saved this beautiful girl. We are so thankful and blessed to have Bella in our family.

She even more beautiful in person. Stunning eyes, Beautiful face & coat, and most important huge heart!

Bella starts the day with tail wagging and giving you a bear hug. She loves her walks in the morning. All the neighborhood kids love her. She has learned the paw command and uses it for everything. You could be sitting working and she will sit right by your side and show you her paw. She loves to cuddle. My Pasha and Skya love their new little sister.

Bella also loves to chase squirrels. She loves running up and down the back yard trying to catch them. After her play in the backyard, she will come in, jump up on the couch and just start kissing you all over.

After a full day of playing, she always finishes the day with giving you her paw and sitting in your lap on the couch. She is an absolute joy. We couldn’t have picked a better addition to our family! When I say a perfect companion, that is my Bella!

Yvette and Y-Not a Sam is the best rescue in the US. She brought Bella over from South Korea. She cared for Bella with such love! She even got Bella’s teeth done! Thank you Yvette. I will always be grateful for being lucky enough to be able to adopt this beautiful girl! THANK YOU! Thank you also for what you do for all the precious dogs in China and Korea that you have saved! It is because of you that my Bella and these other precious babies are able to find love and a safe home. THANK YOU!!!!!! You are a true Hero.

STORMY (AKA lUCY)

I’ve been a life long lover of Samoyeds and owned 3 over the years. I’ve always felt a bit guilty about buying purebreds so I registered on all the rescue sites I could find and then I’d look at shelter websites whenever I traveled. I never had any luck. Within weeks of connecting with Yvette, I saw a Samoyed face that I knew had to be a part of our family. Yvette kept us informed throughout the process as well as provided medical and transition advice. We spent some time with her in Logan and saw firsthand how much she is devoted to the dogs she saves. We are forever grateful to Yvette and her lifesaving team for their tireless work.

LUSHA

We have been fortunate enough to have Samoyeds for over 30 years. We lost our 13 year old best friend (Mishka) in September 2016. We have been very lucky to work with Yvette Nielsen and meet Lusha (formerly Lucy) in late November, 2016. Lusha was surrendered and in search of a long-term home. She has proven to be a great and caring dog. She is a wonderful forever addition to our family and enjoys the great outdoors and snow in Montana. We would not have Lusha if not for Yvette. Please support Y-not Save a Sam Rescue. Yvette does important work and saves amazing dogs. Jim Barlow – Montana

SOFIE

It's not easy to put into words how much Sofie means to us, but we'll try! Sofie has brought us such joy and happiness from the day we met her at Logan Airport in Boston. She was exhausted from her flight with Yvette, but extremely sweet. She didn't have much to say on our car ride home to Connecticut, but that would change over the next few months. She quickly knew that she was loved with daily walks, fenced in yard, and tons of toys all for her! Sofie LOVES to have conversations with us (see video below) and she's become a regular at her grandparents homes in New York and in Massachusetts! She loves playing sports (baseball, football, soccer - you name it!) - She’s definitely our sporty girl....but that doesn't mean that she's any less girly. Sofie is our polite princess who waits patiently for us by the stairs when she's ready to go to bed and she knows all of her commands including heel (that was a tough one for sure)! We have morning time where she hops into bed and nuzzles in next to us and also has what I like to call "princess time" which means it's all about Sofie! She loves getting brushed, is playful with dogs AND cats, and never turns down a good paw & ear massage. Although it's only been 11 months, it feels like we've all been together forever. I can't imagine not having such a sweetheart and beauty in our lives! THANK YOU, Yvette, for giving us a chance with Sofie. We may have rescued her to give her a happy home, but she just as equally rescued us in bringing immense FLUFF & happiness into our lives <3 If you want to track how she's doing, she always has a lot to say on her instagram :) @sof_luff_ie Thank you for ALL you do Yvette! I hope more beautiful pups get matched with homes that are able to care for them.

ODIN

I have been supporting Yvette's rescue with donations for quite some time as I believe in what she is doing for our breed. I had 3 Sammies but just lost one in May of 2016, Loki that broke my heart. Yvette knew I was hurting and asked if I would be interested in adopting Reese who was approximate 10 months old. I at first told her no but my husband was missing Loki so much he took this as a "sign" that Loki sent him to heal us. I told Yvette okay and we picked him up at LAX end of June 2016. I thought it was too soon for us but this little guy was brought out in his crate and we knew that we could give him a much better life than he could ever imagine. Odin is a small guy, about 50#, but he doesn’t have a mean bone in his body. Even my oldest Sammy, Remington, who doesn’t like any dogs intruding in his space, really didn’t mind him around. A couple of corrections and Odin gained respect for him but took to Nika, my other Sammy, like peas in a pod. Odin loves his acre backyard, goes to doggie daycare, and loves his rides in his car and his walks. Is the best sleeping dog I have ever had! We got very lucky with Odin and thank Yvette for showing us this sweet boy.

Haki (Aki) and Hope

Haki (Aki)-

This sweet little soul was diagnosed with distemper when he was a puppy, it is amazing he survived and even more amazing the progress he's made since. I'm sure it wasn't easy bringing a disabled dog to the US unsure if he'd find a home but I could not be more grateful to her for taking the chance. He has been the greatest addition to our family. We were not looking to add to our family at the time but the second I met him I knew I had to help him. Yvette brought him into the vet clinic I work at, I could not think or talk about anything but that sweet little boy for days. We decided to have a sleepover one weekend and that's when he found his forever home. Since then he has learned to walk, run, climb stairs and use the doggy door! He has the best personality and so determined. I am so grateful for Yvette and her rescue team, our family wouldn't be the same without our spunky little fighter.

Hope-

Yvette brought in Hope January 17, 2017. Someone found her stuck under the fence by the trax in Salt Lake. She was hungry, cold and frail. Yvette let me name her and asked me to watch her while she picked up some dogs in LA. After that weekend we decided to keep her and try to give her the best life possible! She was about 11 years at the time, unable to use the stairs. One day we were on our deck eating a burrito and she could smell it, she stuck her little nose in the air and walked all the way up the stairs without hesitation. It was a proud mama moment that I will cherish forever. She was diagnosed with a heart murmur shortly after being rescued and then kidney failure after that. She was in rough shape and we knew we didn't have much time with her so we tried to make every day count. The beginning of September we found a tumor in her mouth and she started declining after that. On October 4th we had to say goodbye to our little angel, I am so beyond grateful for Yvette. Hope would not have known what it was like to feel loved if she hadn't rescued her. We are so thankful that Yvette gave her a chance even though we truly didn't believe she'd make it threw the first night. We will always cherish those 9 months we able to spend with her.

BOMBAY

We knew we were looking to expand our pack by one. We had lost our beloved Porter the previous April, and our dog Calvin needed a new pack mate to keep him happy. My boyfriend grew up with Samoyed’s in the home, and knew what amazing dogs they were. Y Not Save a Sam rescued Bombay and a lot of other Samoyeds to help them find a good home. Once we saw Bombay on the website, we knew we wanted her to join our family. She’s been with us for five months, and she is our princess!

CHARLIE

Mr. Charlie... We put in an application in March 2017 awaiting the day we would finally get to take one of these fluffs home. Yvette posted an adorable photo of Charlie (Zeus) with his adorable ears. It was love at first sight! We spoke with the foster family and knew Charlie would be the perfect addition to our family. Another family was on their way from SLC and graciously offered to meet us in Elko. The first few minutes we were anxious, hoping the dogs would get along. His fursisters Willow and Zarya were perhaps even happier having Charlie than we were. The trio have been inseparable from those first moments. When it came time to decide on a name for him, we went back to one of our favorite movies. Zeus reminded us so much of Charlie from Willie Wonka, his bright smile and loving nature. He may not have come from the best of circumstances, but we think we can give him the best life full of love and unlimited belly rubs. Mr. Charlie Bucket found his Golden Ticket and we found our sweet furprince. He thoroughly enjoys his days at the office with me as the official greeter for Wood Rodgers.

DAYZEE

Dear Dayzee,

I know you’re a dog and can’t read, but perhaps someone will read this to you.Ever since we first saw your pictures online, we fell head over heels in love with you! Out of all the other smiling Sammies, you were the most beautiful! To us, you were clearly the sweetest one of them all!Who knows what your life was like before Y-Not Save a Sam saved you from that kill shelter! You must have had a very hard life. Your teeth were rotten, your fur was thick with evil foxtails, you were mostly deaf, you had arthritis, and it was discovered you had cancer! Yvette gave you such loving care, but you still needed a forever home.The day we met you and Yvette at the airport will be one of the most important days in my life. You quickly filled the role of resident angel in our home, though the cats may beg to differ, of course. The way you nuzzle us and sit on our feet is too adorable! I hope you can forgive us for constantly telling you just how good a girl and how smart you are!Even at the vet offices, you steal the scene. People light up when they see you and always must come over and pet you. You are so friendly and patient! You are the most beautiful floof, and everyone adores you!No one can predict how many years we have have left together, but we promise to give you the best life possible! We love you so much, Dayzee! Thank you for being a part of our family!

Love,Wendy and Paul in Michigan

Roo

Being able to bring Roo into our home has been a true miracle. We’ve always wanted a dog, but our 9 yr olds allergies told us otherwise. That being said, a Samoyed had been a consideration, but how could this happen when a Samoyed can be brushed out and provide enough fur to weave a sweater for everyone in a small army. Just didn’t seem to be the right fit with allergies. Well surprisingly it’s been the total opposite of everything we expected and thank goodness because Roo has been the perfect fit for us and we can’t imagine not having him in our lives. When we first met Roo we knew he had an awesome personality! He’s a gentle giant. Friend to everyone. Wanna go for a walk? Wanna go for a ride? Wanna go for a run in the mountains? Wanna play fetch? YEP! All of the above. Never get tired of this guy. We were so lucky to have Yvette so close and even more lucky to have her doing what she does for these wonderful animals. Thank you Yvette and everyone involved in your organization. Your work is amazing! Nose bump from Roo. - Naylor Family

Chewy

ChewyLouie – my little man that I never knew I needed!

I picked Chewy up at the airport to just foster him for Yvette. I told myself that I wasn’t ready for another dog, as did my boyfriend… but Milo (my Samoyed) was ready to have a temporary friend. When Yvette sent me a photo of Chewy in Korea my heart just sunk, how could someone not want this little love (see his very Chewbacca picture). The moment I opened up his little crate it was love, I knew I would never be letting go (foster fail waiting to happen).

Fast forward 9 months and ChewyLouie is living the good life. He is the most happy go lucky dog you’ve ever meet. He loves everyone and everyone loves him. Clients stop by our office just to see Chewy (I bring him to work every day) and bring him a treat or new toy, he attends almost all client meetings and spends the day going desk to desk to get maximum pets. Snuggles during all times of the day are a must, along with playing with every single toy/bone in the house – at the end of the day I end up picking up around 20 toys and bones. He’s an avid swimmer and lover of bath time, he really struts his stuff after a good haircut. But more than anything he loves playing with his brother Milo, they have been inseparable since Chewy arrived.

My daily life would not be the same without this guy and I have Yvette to thank for that. I tell everyone who is interested in adopting to please consider rescue, and not any rescue but Yvette and the amazing people at ELF.

Mochi

We adopted Mochi last May and it was one of the best decisions we have ever made. He is an absolute joy! He is so full of love and such a sweet little boy. He loves to play with his brother and sister and of course all his toys. The little children in the neighborhood just love him and always want to know if they can play with him. He has quite the fan club! He has brought us so much happiness and we are so grateful to have this dear little boy in our family. Thank you, Yvette!

Dakota (FNA Kermit)

Top 7/23/15 when this wonderful guy arrived in Salt Lake City via LA and bottom in 2018.

Thank you Yvette for bringing this wonderful Sammy to us.

He is a Big Fluffy guy who still acts like a puppy and loves being on the couch next to you.

He is the smartest dog we have ever owned, which makes him a real pest and yet wonderful for his smarts. He has a great personality and loves all dogs and people along with the cats.

Chase (fna Mason)

Chase, fondly known as Chasey Bear at our house (and formerly known as Mason), has been with us now for a little over 4 months. I had been following Y-not-Save-a-Sam Rescue on fb, and was very drawn to "Mason" whenever his picture was posted. When I inquired about him, I was encouraged to fill out an application and before I knew it, was notified by Yvette telling me that she thought our family would be a good match for him! We were very excited and couldn't wait to get him home. Getting him home to the Oregon coast from Logan, UT was accomplished by meeting up with Yvette in Boise, ID. We appreciate all her efforts to literally go the extra mile(s) to meet us! It was an incredibly long day of driving for this big fella and he seemed very happy and relieved when we finally walked in our door to be warmly greeted by another Sammy, his new big sister, Meeka.

Due to living out in the elements most of his life, his coat was very coarse and unkempt, and it was agreed with Yvette that he needed a new start by shaving his fur back a bit. I am so happy to report that his new coat has grown back so incredibly soft and beautiful! He gets prolonged hugs from everyone because you just can't help it - once you touch him you don't want to let go! I have never felt such a wonderfully soft coat! He also knew nothing about taking treats from your hand, begging, or enjoying the comforts of couches and pillows and blankies. With his new sister to guide him, he quickly learned that treats are pretty good, pizza night is great fun, and the couch really is more comfortable than the hard floor.

Chase loves going on walks and running on the beach with his sister, Meeka. When we get to the end of our road, we can either go down to the beach or up through the woods and neighborhood. The tide is usually our indicator of whether we go up or down. Chase will always pull in the direction of the beach first, hoping that we go that way. But even when I tell him, "no, we're going up this time", he will still give a happy bark and show just as much enthusiasm even though it wasn't his first choice. He is always on the lookout for deer and barks excitedly whenever he spots one.

At the break of dawn we start to hear Chase "talk" a bit, ever so softly at first, hoping to get us up. When he senses movement, he "talks" a bit louder and when he finally sees someone up he jumps for joy, starts in on his happy bark and bounces and spins his way to the kitchen hoping for breakfast! At this point, Meeka joins in on his enthusiasm, both making it impossible not to start each day with a laugh and a smile!

We are all truly in love with our Chasey Bear and are very thankful that he has found his way into our hearts and home! Thank you Yvette and Y-Not-Save-A-Sam Rescue for all the work you do to save these precious pups! We are so glad to be this sweet fella's forever home and family.

Sita (FNA Nadia)

Shortly after moving from the city to the mountains, my wife and I wanted to find an energetic dog to share our outdoorsy life with (though I'm allergic to most breeds). We found a male Sam at a local shelter and it was an instant match all around. Over the next two years, we kept an eye out for another pup to adopt, but Sams became a very trendy breed around here and (thankfully) any that did show up in shelters were adopted quickly. That's when we learned of Y-Not and applied to foster as soon as possible. Unfortunately, we had *just* missed out on a pair that just arrived from China's infamous Yulin Dogmeat Festival. One week later, we received a call... one of the placements fell through, and one was up for outright adoption if we were interested. While "dipping a toe in the water" with fostering sounded safer, the very first picture we saw of Sita (ex-Nadia) shattered our hearts... we absolutely wanted to give this pup a new forever home.

Sita and her brother instantly bonded, and (for the most part) really bring out the best in one another. With just a bit of patience and work, she made herself at home, and was soon joining us on long hikes, snowshoe treks, and road trips. Naturally, she's also just as happy curling up on the couch and being smothered with attention. Her love for people continually amazes me when we think about the conditions she had been put through. With rescue dogs, you never really know exactly what they've been through (and you probably don't want to), but the sense of happiness, comfort and safety they show is a constant blessing.

I can't say enough about the great people all working in front of and behind the scenes to give these dogs a second shot. From the rescuers and shelters in China and Korea, to the volunteers who travel with the dogs, to the airport pickups and fosters... it's an amazing group dedicated to the care and comfort of animals who have largely been left for dead. With Sita, I always feel like we got the easiest part.

Bodie

We decided that we were wanting to rescue/ adopt a dog into our family. We wanted to give a dog a loving family. Bodie entered our lives in the most perfect timing. Bodie has changed our lives in all the best ways. Bodie is so patient, calm, and the best dog brother too his human siblings. Bodie is completely apart of the family; where we are, he is right there with us. We can’t thank Yvette enough for saving our sweet Bodie, and giving our Bodie a better life that she knew he could have. We couldn’t imagine our lives without our Bodie boy (our dog child). Everyone who meets him falls completely in love with that fluff ball, but I mean who couldn’t? – The Anderson Family

Ruger

We began our journey looking to get our lonely puppy a friend about a month prior to bringing Ruger home. Boy, oh boy! Once we saw Ruger - our hearts melted and we fell in absolute love with him. As we had expected, the first couple days did not go too well - Rocky was not all about having another dog take the attention from his ma & pa away - but it didn't take long for Rocky & Ruger to become best friends. They are inseparable, they sleep by each other, they eat together, and they play like crazy. Ruger was the missing puzzle piece to our home. His personality is so funny, he thinks he is a lap dog, he LOVES to cuddle and lay/sit in weird positions, loves being kissed, loves to go on walks & rides in the car/truck, loves all of his kitty siblings and he is really good at sitting and shaking! OH! and he also thinks it’s the best thing in the world to stand up, put those cute little paws on the edge of any counter and table to see what kind of food we left out. We are so blessed to have found and taken Ruger into our home and couldn't imagine what our lives would be like without him. Thank you Yvette for all you have done for Ruger and many other pups! You truly are an amazing person and the world needs more people like you!